A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 38

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 38
USA > Virginia > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 38

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

. The population of this county in 1810 was 8,102-in 1820, 6,901-in 1830, 8,411-of whom 3,718 were whites-3,845 slaves, and 848 free per- sons of color. It belongs to the fifth judicial circuit, and third district.

We subjoin this note from another pen :

"General Washington was born on a plantation called Wakefield, now the pro- perty of John Gray, Esq. of Traveller's Rest, lying on Pope's Creek, in Westmore- land county, Va. The house in which he first saw light, was 300 yards from the creek, half a mile from its entrance into the Potomac. The mansion has long since fallen into ruins. Some of the trees of "olden days," are yet standing around it. There is nothing at present to interest, except the recollections that must crowd upon the mind, while contemplating the birth place of Washinton."

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EASTERN VIRGINIA-YORK.

Tax paid in 1834 on lots, 89 19-land, $806 92-1963 slaves, $490 75- 1045 horses, $62 70-3 studs, $38 00-34 coaches, $81 25-13 car- ryalls, 813 00-99 gigs, $58 45. Total, $1560 26. Expended in edu- cating poor children in 1833, $240 46.

TOWNS, VILLAGES, POST OFFICES, &c.

HAGUE, P. O. situated in the east- hood is thickly settled, and country ern part of the county, 70 ms. S. E. stores are to be met with at intervals of R., and 132 from W.

of every 4 or 5 miles. The scenery HUTTSVILLE, P. O. 65 miles from of the surrounding country is beauti- R. and 127 from W.

ful and picturesque, and would well repay those who have money and leisure in paying a visit to this vicin- LEEDS, P. O. 82 ms. from R. and ity, not far from which is the birth-

KINSALE, P. O. 76 ms. from R. and 138 from W.

104 S. S. E. of W.

places of the illustrious WASHING-

OAK GROVE, P. O. 88 ms. N. N. TON, MARSHALL, MONROE, and other E. of R. and 98 S. of W. This distinguished men. post office has recently been removed from Mattox Bridge. Oak Grove is

WESTMORELAND C. H. P. V. 70 ms. from R. and 116 S. S. E. of

situated equidistant (6 ms.) from thelW., situated near the centre of the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, county, being equidistant between the and one mile from Mattox creek. It rivers Rappahannock and Potomac. contains 4 dwelling houses, 1 house The houses are but few, and arranged of public worship, (Methodist,) 3 without regard to order or compact- mercantile stores, (and 2 others in the ness ; of these 8 are built of brick, immediate vicinity,) 1 tavern, and 1 including the Court House, Clerk's house of private entertainment. The office and jail,-the rest are of wood, soil in the neighborhood is generally very old and much dilapidated. It fertile and well adapted to the culture contains 2 general mercantile stores, of Indian corn, wheat, tobacco, cotton, 2 taverns, 1 carriage maker, 1 sad- &c. Though the two first articles dler, 1 boot and shoe maker, and 1 are almost solely cultivated : next to tailor. Population about 100 persons;

of whom 5 are resident attorneys, and 2000d; sobrisk is the sale, and so large 3 regular physicians.

these the principal article of trade is

the supply, that 4 or 5 vessels and County Courts are held on the 4th Monday in every month :- Quarter- ly in March, June, August and No- frequently more are continually load- ing at Mattox bridge. The facilities of commerce are so great with the vember. District of Columbia, Baltimore, JUDGE LOMAX holds his Circuit Fredericksburg and other places, that Superior Court of Law and Chance- no large village can ever be expected ry on the 21st of April and 13th Qc- to spring up here. The neighbor- tober.

YORK.

YORK was one of the eight original shires into which Virginia, was di- vided by the legislature, in 1634. It is bounded on the N. by York river, which separates it from Gloucester, E. by the Chesapeake bay, S. by Eliza- beth City and Warwick counties, and W. by James City county. Its mean

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EASTERN VIRGINIA-YORK.

length is 26 ms .; mean breath 54 ms .; and area 149 sq. ms. It extends in lat. from 37° 08', to 37° 23' N. and in long. from 0° 12', to 0° 46' E. of W. This county occupies nearly half of the peninsula which is formed by the near approach of the York and James rivers; but the surface inclines to- wards the former, on which it lies. Much of the soil is good. Population in 1810, 5,187 -- in 1820, 14,380-1830, 5,334. York belongs to the 3rd judicial circuit, and 2nd district. Tax paid in 1833, $802 06-in 1834, on lots, $31 69 -- on land, $1,261 50-1,220 slaves, $305 00-365 horses, 833 90-5 studs, $20 00-12 coaches, 824 00-7 carryalls, $7 00-72 gigs, $40 35. Total, 8823 45. Expended in educating poor children in 1832, 8292 68-in 1833, $184 39.

TOWNS, VILLAGES, POST OFFICES, &c.

HALF-WAY-HOUSE, P. O. 84 ms. | scenery. Population 282 persons ; of S. E. by E. of R. and 187 ms. from whom 1 is an attorney, and 2 are re- gular physicians. W., situated in the eastern part of the county, about 12 ms. S. E. of the C. County Courts are held on the 3d Monday in every month ;- Quarter- ly in March, June, August and No- vember. H. and half a mile from Poquosin ri- ver. There are at this place 5 build- ings, 2 of which are old stores, not occupied at present, 1 public house, Circuit Superior Courts of Law and Chancery are held on the 24th of April and September, by JUDGE UP- SHUR. and i excellent dwelling house. The land in the neighborhood is fertile, producing well the ordinary staples, corn, wheat, oats, &c. The situation is pleasant and eligible, directly on the main stage road from Yorktown to Hampton.

Before closing Eastern Virginia it may be interesting to the reader to: peruse a succinct account of the me- morable events which took place at the siege of Yorktown during the re- volution, and which eventuated in the

YORKTOWN, P. V. Port of en- try and seat of justice, 72 ms. S. E. by E. of R. and 175 ms. S. S. E. of surrender of the whole of the English W. in lat. 37° 14', and long. 0° 30' army, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, to the combined Ameri- can and French army, under the com- mand of Washington, which was the closing scene of the American war, and the establishment of American independence. E. of W. C., situated immediately on the right bank of York river, 11 ms. above its mouth, and 33 ms. N. W. from Norfolk. Yorktown suffered considerably from a fire which occur- red during the last war, when most of the best buildings were destroyed, The following brief outline seems to have been taken from the journal of an American officer, engaged in the scenes which he describes, and to have been published in some periodi- cal about the year 1784 or 1785. together with the old Episcopal church. The present number of houses, besides the county buildings, are 40, -- the most of which are going fast to decay. It has several stores, 1 house of public worship (Baptist,) Siege of York and Gloucester. 1 school, in which are taught the ru- diments of English education, 1 tan- Sept. 15, 1781 .- General Wash- ington arrived at Williamsburg; re- ceived the Marquis de la Fayette's command, and count St. Simon's yard, 1 cabinet maker, 1 carriage ma- ker, 1 house carpenter, and 3 black- smith shops. Yorktown is pleasant- ly situated in an open country, having' troops, which had arrived the 30th of a beautiful view of land and water August, with count de Grasse, and

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EASTERN VIRGINIA-YORK.

landed at Jamestown the 3d instant. 21 .- First division of the northern . army arrived in James's river. The redonbts completed this night, and 23d and 24th almost the whole got in filled with a proper number of troops- and landed. The 27th, the whole army moved, and encamped in a line, three quarters of a mile advanced off Williamsburg, distant from Yorktown 11 miles.

28 .- The whole moved at day- light: after two halts, arrived within a mile and a half of the enemy's works: displayed and lay on our arms all night. Beaver pond creek, and mo- rass in our front, over which bridges were built that night: and general Muhlenbergh's brigade of light infan- try formed a picquet in advance.

29 .- About sunrise moved to with- in three quarters of a mile of the ene- my's out-works, and displayed into two lines, a ravine in front, to view our ground; advanced small parties in front to cover our reconnoitering parties. At four, P. M. moved to our ground on the right, and encamped within range of the enemy's artillery in two lines; advanced a line of pic- quets in front, and increased our camp guards.

30 .- The enemy fearing we should turn their left, and get between their out-works and the town, abandoned the whole of them, and retired to town a little before day-light, leaving a few light horse to protect their rear.

day, advanced to reconnoitre and re- port accordingly, when he was inter- cepted, wounded and taken, by a few light horse, who had lain concealed. [He died of his wounds in six days.] Both lines were put in motion, and advanced with caution towards their works, suspecting some feint of the enemy. . Lay on our arms all that night. The light infantry remained on the ground, as a covering party to the fatigued men, busied in erecting a

31 .- The light infantry relieved by Wayne's division this evening. The

October 1 to 6 .-- Employed in pre. paring materials, getting up our artil- lery, &c. At six o'clock, moved on the ground, and opened our first pa- rallel, about six hundred yards from the enemy's works, under cover by day-light. . No accident. Continued working till morning.

7 .-- The light troops entered in line reversed, with drums beating, and co- lours flying; planted their standards on the top of the line of the parallel; continued working on the batteries, which were completed about five o'clock.

9 .- P. M. the enemy received the first shot from us, which was contin- ued with spirit from cannon and mor- tars. 'The enemy's fire slackened. Several of their guns were dismount- ed: and they were obliged to fill up their entrenchments.

10 .- Light infantry mounted: and the Charon of 44 guns and two smaller vessels, were burned by some hot shot from the left of the line, com- manded by count St. Simon. This happened about eight o'clock in the evening, the weather being serene and calm, and afforded an awful and me- lancholly sight. The Charon was on fire from the water's edge to her truck thing so magnificent.

Colonel Scammel, being officer of the at the same time. I never saw any

11 .-- In the evening,' the second parallel opened by B. Steuben's . di- vision. This parallel was carried on with amazing rapidity, at 360 yards distance from the enemy's batteries, under a very heavy fire, the enemy's shot and shells directed at the work- men; our shot and shells going over our heads in a continual blaze the whole night. The sight was beauti- fully tremendous. We lost but one chain of redoubts to guard our camp, man, shot by our own men, the gun and cover our working parties, who not being sufficiently elevated, or were occupied in procuring materials being fired with a bad cartridge. for the siege.

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EASTERN VIRGINIA-YORK.

17 .- Light infantry still in the

12th, 13th, and 14th. Continued completing the batteries of the second trenches. Between ten and eleven, A. M. chamade beat, and propositions for surrender sent out by his lordship: received by the Marquis, and for- warded to head-quarters. Cessation of firing about twenty minutes, till flag had returned within their works. On our resuming the fire, a second chamade beat: and the officer return- ling, was told that the answer, as soon as received from head-quarters, would be forwarded. The firing on both sides re-commenced, and went on as usual, only small intermissions, du- ring the passing of two or three let- ters from each side. Light infantry

parallel, and wounding their abattis, and frize-works with our shot and shells. About two o'clock, P. M. the out defences of two redoubts, that were advanced on their left 250 yards in their front, were thought sufficient- ly weakened, to attempt them that evening by storm. The light infan- try were relieved, and directed to re- fresh themselves with dinner and a nap. About dusk, they moved on, under the Marquis, and were in pos- session of one, in nine minutes. 'T'he other was carried by the French grenadiers and light infantry, under baron Viomenil, nearly about the relieved by the baron Steuben's divis- same time, when the second parallel ion: and the business being concluded was continued on, and enveloped these that evening, the firing ceased about two redoubts, and finished a line of five o'clock, P. M. The 18th and communication between the rights of part of the 19th, taken up in adjusting matters, viz. articles of capitulation, public letters, &c.

the first and second parallel of up- wards of a mile, before day-light next morning. The whole of this was performed under a very incessant and heavy fire from the enemy, with amazing steadiness and expedition.

15 .- Employed in repairing the included.

redoubts, and erecting batteries, now within reach of the enemy's grape, rifle and wall-pieces.

16 .-- This night, a timid, ill con- ducted sortie was attempted under lieutenant-colonel Abercrombie, with about six hundred men. They en- tered the parallel about the centre, nearly between the French and Ame- rican troops, at a battery erecting by the Americans, not completed. They killed a sarjeant and two privates of captain Savage's company of artillery: spiked six guns with the end of their bayonets, which they broke off' in the vent-holes; turned about ; and went off two miles, had he come out to us, we with the greatest precipitation. In could have opposed him with but their retreat, they were pursued, and very few more than two thirds of his number. This, I believe, will be al- lowed by any officer of discernment, who was acquainted with the details lost twelve men-six killed, four wounded, two taken : the light infan- try in the trenches. Lord Cornwal- lis, in his account of the matter, says of the victorious combined army. our loss was upwards of 100.

19. P. M .- They marched out and laid down their arms. The whole of the king's troop, including sailors and marines, amounted to 8,054, officers

Thus ended this business, in nine days from our breaking ground.

The whole of our strength, includ- ing every person that drew provisions by the commissary-general's return, amounted to 12,200. Our loss was 324 killed, wounded and died in the hospital; sick in the hospital about 600; unfit for duty, 830. So that when the necessary detail of the whole army was completed, his lordship was never opposed by more than an equal : number. Very frequently, from our great fatigue, parties at a considerable distance from the camp, and trenches

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WESTERN VIRGINIA.

INTRODUCTION.

PERHAPS no section of country of the same extent, possesses greater natural advantages than that portion of the State of Virginia westward of the Blue Ridge Mountain. Possessed of a climate the most salubrious and invigorating, and a soil happily adapted to the production of almost every thing useful to man, nothing is wanting but industry to render this one of the fairest agricultural portions of the globe. The vallies of the Shenandoah, the Upper James river, the Kanawha and Holston, found in this portion of the commonwealth, present a field almost unrivalled for the exertions of an industrious and enterprising population. Some of these as yet, are comparatively unreclaimed and in a state of nature; but the time is not distant, when under the invigorating influence of wise and salutary regulations, they will be seen teeming with the products of enterprise and industry. But Western Virginia is not remarkable only for agricultural advantages. Her fossil and mineral wealth is no where equaled; iron, lead, gypsum, coal, and salt, are found in different places in this region, some of which have already become a fruitful source of commerce and of wealth. Other and similar sources of wealth may still be buried and con- cealed from the eye of man in our extensive forest regions. The salt of the Kanawha and Holston, after supplying the home consumption, is already an article of extensive and profitable commerce upon most of the western waters. The iron of the valley, the excellence of which is readily admitted, would soon become a staple of commerce and a source of wealth to that section, did the improvements of the country supply the required facilities for the transportation of so cumbersome an article. These enu- merated manufactures, though already claiming notice from their conse- quence, are to be regarded as yet in their infancy, compared with the rank they will hereafter attain, in numbers and extent, should the increasing commerce and enterprise of the country call forth their resources. With the exception of the commercial channels which nature has provided as outlets for them, our productions, whether manufactured or agricultural, are and must be limited to a narrow region of country surrounding them. This will continue to be the case until the country becomes aroused to the necessity of following the example of our sister communities, in opening additional and much needed lines of commercial intercourse.

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WESTERN VIRGINIA-INTRODUCTION.

Had nature been even more bountiful than she has to this favored region, still if her gifts are neglected or unimproved, no benefits result to the community. Such is in fact the condition of Western Virginia. We possess natural advantages in abundance, every thing for skill and enterprise and industry to work upon, but no corresponding results such as are elsewhere exhibited, are any where seen.

This state of things merits an attentive consideration and demands an adequate remedy. Let the citizens of Western Virginia arouse themselves, and harmoniously unite in efforts to improve their condition and bring into active and profitable exercise the numerous discovered and undiscovered sources of wealth with which our country abounds.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

THIs division of the commonwealth, as recognized by the constitution of 1830, extends from the Blue Ridge to the Ohio, and contains forty-five counties, with an area of 38,900 square miles, equal to 24,896,000 acres. The population in 1830, was 378,475, of which the free inhabitants num- bered 324,988, and the slaves 53,437-shewing an increase of nearly 25 per cent in the first class, and nearly 24 per cent in the second, within the preceding ten years.

This sparse population of less than ten souls to a square mile, is not owing to either a want of salubrity in the climate, or of fertility in the soil, but to adventitious causes which time is progressively removing. The early policy of the general government in bringing large bodies of the public domain into market, at very low prices, and on long credits, with the recent diminution of three-eights of the former prices placed on those lands, have exercised a very important control over the settlement and con- sequent improvement of this part of Virginia. The nearer districts of level and fertile land in the New States, are however receiving a sufficient population to give increased value to the soil, and the government sales at more distant points become less sensibly felt ; but should the threatening efforts now making to employ the Public Lands as a bounty to draw off the inhabitants of the old States, by giving new homes to all who will occupy them, at merely nominal prices, prove successful, no portion of the original states will feel the effects more sensibly than Virginia, and par- ticularly the district under consideration. The retarded population of the western counties, has also been owing in some measure to the unsettled state of the land titles ; an evil which recent legislation has gone far to remove. By an act of the 5th of February, 1831, the limitation in writs of right is reduced to twenty-five years : and in actions of ejectment, to fifteen years: and by an act of the 10th of March, 1832, a lein is given on lands, in favor of the occupant thereof, for the value of the improvements which may be made thereon, before notice of the adverse title. The first of these laws gives safety and security to the great body of the land-hold- ers, and the second gives full remuneration for all the improvements in the event of an eviction ; they were called for by the condition of the country, and will no doubt give confidence to future immigrants, as well as invigo- rate the industry of the present inhabitants. No climate can be more favorable to health and longevity ;' the temperate latitude and elevation of the country ; protect it in a great measure from the extremes of heat and cold, and when they occur, they are very rarely of inconvenient duration.

The face of the country presents an uneven surface, owing to the ranges of mountains which intersect it from the northeast to the southwest, and

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF

which occupy much of the territory from the North mountain, and skirts the large limestone valley of Virginia, to the Cumberland and Laural Hill chain. These mountains rise from two to three thousand feet above the ocean, but are neither sterile, or unusually steep; on the contrary they are generally covered with the finest timber, and abound with kinds denoting high fertility ; the vallies are frequently extensive, and present to the eye the most beautiful and majestic scenery. The soil of this district consists of almost every variety. The great limestone valley of Virginia, extend- ing from the Potomac to the county of Montgomery, near two hundred and fifty miles in length, and from twenty to forty miles in width, is perhaps not surpassed in the abundance and variety of its agricultural products, by any district of the same extent in the Atlantic States.

From the North mountain, to the western chain of the Alleghanies, formed by the continuing links between the Cumberland and the Laurel mountains of Pennsylvania, the country presents a series of ridges and well watered vallies, the latter generally rich, and the former not unfrequently offering easy slopes to cultivation and for pasture. Along the summit of the mid- dle range much high table land is found, and considerable portions of it free from timber, and covered with grass. Some of those natural meadows are of large extent, and serve as pasture for numerous herds of horned cattle. Although the western division of Virginia may throughout be em- phatically denominated a grass country, yet it no where else equals the abun- dant and nutricious productions annually displayed upon those elevated table lands, and whether the grazing farm is prepared by enclosing and reclaim- ing the natural meadows; or by freeing the ground of its forest trees, the product is equally certain and abundant. The country extending from the Cumberland and Laurel range of mountains to the Ohio river, is generally broken ; but interspersed with extensive districts of land sufficiently level for agricultural purposes, and of which industry is annually bringing large portions into culture.

The Ohio and Potomac, as well as their large tributaries, are proverbial for the rich alluvial lands which border those streams. These bodies of very fertile and almost inexhaustible low grounds, vary in width from a few hundred yards to one and two miles. Sufficiently undulating to pass the water from their surface, and generally elevated above. the freshets to which the western rivers are liable. These alluvial tracts are admirably adapted to the culture of hemp, tobacco, Indian corn, and turnips, and after a few years yield very fine crops of wheat, barley, rye, oats, potatoes, &c. The upland as before remarked, is frequently rough and broken, but gene- rally not so much so, as to prevent its employment in cultivation and pas- ture, when advancing population shall require its use for those purposes ; the highest and steepest hills are well adapted to the growth and produc- tion of many of the most valuable species of the grape, and on their sides the mulberry flourishes with peculiar vigor, it may not therefore be unrea- sonable to anticipate the time, when wine and silk will be prominent arti- cles of the export from this region of country.

The principal agricultural products of the western district of Virginia, at this time, are wheat, rye, oats, barley, buck wheat, hemp, flax, tobacco and corn, with abundant supplies of indigenous and exotic grapes. The grazing and feeding farms, which stand next in importance, export annual- ly a large amount in neat cattle, horses, mules, hogs and sheep, besides beef, bacon, lard, butter and wool. Of the products of the forest, the west-

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WESTERN VIRGINIA.

ern counties furnish much the larger portion, consisting of gensang, fur, peltries, venison hams, staves, timber, plank, and cord wood on the rivers navigated with steamboats. 'The manufactories, although in their infancy, yield considerable supplies to other States, in flour, salt, leather, and former. ly of lead.

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A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 38

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry Publication date: 1835 Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278